Jun 16, 2025 6 min read

By John Sacco

For the Observer-Reporter

His name might not be mentioned when discussing the greatest athletes in Washington High School history – at least at the start.

That is a mistake of ignorance or just an oversight.

Make no mistake, for reasons beyond the football field, track, hockey rink and youth baseball diamonds, John Reihner belongs in that discussion right from the beginning.

Reihner, also a top scholar and noted leader, is one of the most decorated athletes from the school and is considered by those who know him as a revered friend and teammate.

For the record, he was a popular dentist and operated a successful practice locally until his retirement.

“It was all very rewarding,” said Reihner, now 72. “I have very fond memories. I enjoyed (playing) all the sports. Hockey and baseball were probably more fun and I really enjoyed track. The football coaches and mentors that we had were just good people – Dave Johnston, (Earnest) Eros, Rudy Stolfer and Joe Rodjom. They were just good men who took care of us.

“Those sports were fun to play and they were fun to practice. There’s no fun in football practice – no fun there. But it got me an education at Penn State and that was a big deal. My parents were middle class, a factory worker and a nurse. Football paid for college for my (late) brother and myself.”

Reihner was an outstanding football player and track and field athlete at Washington from 1968 to 1971 and at Penn State from 1971-1975. He is the older brother of the late George Reihner, who was an outstanding football and WPIAL champion wrestler for the Little Prexies. He also was a standout offensive lineman at Penn State and a starter for the Houston Oilers in the NFL.

A kicking specialist for Washington, John Reihner earned All-WPIAL and All-State honors in 1970, and played in the 1971 Big 33 game.

He continues to hold the Wash High record in the discus – a throw of 184 feet, one inch – and had a personal-best shot put of more than 57 feet as a prep athlete. He was also a member of the 880-yard relay team that took third place in the PIAA Championships.

Reihner was the first winner of Washington’s William E. Amos Outstanding Senior Athlete Award.

Some of Reihner’s other accomplishments include:

PIAA discuss champion 1970 and 1971. He held the WPIAL record of 177-9′ as WPIAL champion.

With Penn State:

He was letterman from 1972-75 on the track, holding the Lions’ discus record during that time. He was team captain in 1975.

He was a football letterman in 1973, 1974 and 1975

He played in the Sugar, Orange and Cotton bowls

He was a member of the original Penn State club hockey team,

A graduate of the Temple University School of Dentistry, Reihner operated a successful and popular dental practice, which opened in 1980.

Reihner and his wife, Robyn, reside in Washington. The couple have three children and nine grandchildren.

“John was, more than anything, somebody who as a young athlete I really admired, looked up to and tried to emulate,” said Guy Montecalvo, a member of that 880-yard relay team. “He was basically my No. 1 role model when I was a young athlete. That was based off not only his great athleticism in so many sports but just the way he comported himself. I kind of wanted to be like John because he was so professional and focused on what he was doing and was just such a multidimensional athlete.

“He excelled in a lot of different sports and I don’t know that he’s ever received the accolades or attention he probably should’ve gotten. He has been a little bit undervalued. I don’t mean anyone in particular but it’s not like people talk about him when they talk about the great athletes out of Washington High school and Washington County.”

Tim Curley, former Penn State athletic director, said Reihner’s diverse skills made him unique.

“I think John Reihner was a multi-sport athlete at the highest level,” Curly said. “One of the things that really impressed me about him was he did a lot of field events in track and he also ran the part of the 880-relay. That is very rare when you consider how skilled he was in the field events.

“When you combine that with the multiple sports that he played – at a very high level – that puts him in a rarified air, probably ahead of his time.

“John was quiet and humble with high integrity – just was a real team player,” Curley continued. “He was just an amazing overall person and a great student. He was a great athlete. He was a great human being.”

Quiet leader

“John never said much about anything,” said Bob Hollick, a high school teammate. “You always could depend on him to do things right. For his size, he had tremendous speed and coordination. John was a big boy, but you knew he could run. He could sprint and throw the discus, which is not easy to do.

“I think his competitiveness just came naturally. He liked competing. He never did it to obtain laurels. I think he just liked to be there and do his best.”

Reihner, nicknamed “Smooth” for the way he handled himself in all facets of his life, had to deal with his athletic interests and adventures.

“Joe (Paterno) promised me that I could do track in addition to football and I wouldn’t be penalized,” Reihner said. “But that didn’t turn out to be true.

“As a sophomore, I was the second team tight end and got to play cleanup duty in the bigger games. But going into my junior year, I didn’t go to spring (football) practice so I could participate in track. That left my on-field (football) playing career in the (dumpster). The only thing I got to do after that in football was to kick. I knew if I didn’t go to spring practice I was not going to play.

“But I was still competing at a high level in track and throwing the discus, so I just lived with the consequences. I was probably a more important member to the track team than I was to football and I don’t have regrets.”

Reihner said his life is good.

“Sometimes, I think people don’t appreciate what they actually accomplished and the opportunities they had, and (instead) dwell on the negative,” Reihner said. “I have a few friends who have done that and it’s not really worked out well for them. It’s good to relish the positive things in your life.”

John Sacco writes a column about local sports history for the Observer-Reporter.